6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
10% Shatner, 90% Filler, October 2, 2004
I'm a big Shatner fan, but even Captain Kirk couldn't save this movie. The formulated plot was completely predictable and the acting way too cheezy, even by Shatner standards. I wasn't laughing with, or even at, this film. It was just a plain waste of time to watch.
The ONLY thing in this movie worth watching is Shatner's brief, kooky performance. He doesn't really get enough time on camera to make sitting through the film's sappy script a salvagable movie watching experience though. Shatner quite simply can't carry the entire film, given the time alloted to him. If you could edit this movie down to just the enjoyable parts with Shatner, it would be about 15 minutes long. The rest of the movie is simply filler material, at best. I would have rather just watched 90 minutes of Shatner ad-libbing.
If you want to watch a good indy flick with lots of Shatner in it, I'd recommend the movie Free Enterprise instead. Better acting. Better script. Much more Shatner.
If you HAVE to watch every single film Shatner has ever been in, go ahead and watch this. If you just want to watch a good movie, don't bother.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny, Strange, Bizarre -- A Winner!, November 14, 2004
SHOOT OR BE SHOT is a funny flick in which William Shatner plays a character who will stop at nothing to see a wild dream realized. Only one problem: the man is crazy. Literally. Certifiable. And when you toss the nut into a motley crew of assorted sleazy producers, eccentric directors, typecast bimbo actresses and actors trying to break out of their Mexican TV roots, the results are volatile!
Think of FREE ENTERPRISE and you find a group of similar misfits in SHOOT OR BE SHOT. Like the former, the latter is about filmmakers stuck in one niche of the Hollywood scene, trying to move to another level. Shatner's character would settle for any level, as long as his movie script gets made. And he'll see it shot, even if he has to literally kidnap an entire movie production team and hold them at gunpoint to get them to 1) read his script and 2) film it his way. When you put it that way -- "Shoot or be shot!" -- it seems like a no-brainer. Best to shoot the man's film, right? Of course it's never that easy.
SHOOT OR BE SHOT is also cousin to Steve Martin's BOWFINGER. While BOWFINGER is much funnier, you have to admire SHOOT OR BE SHOT for its spirit and for the passionate convictions of several of its characters -- including, and on top of the list, its Number One gun-wielding Nut! And by the way, said nut wears a "Chubby Rain" T-shirt throughout the movie (those who saw BOWFINGER will get the tribute).
Critics have had a lot of fun tearing into William Shatner's acting over the years. I think it's wonderful that he's finally getting the last laugh, scoring a recent Emmy, landing a new TV show, having fun with his commercials and dramatic recordings (HAS BEEN, for example). Shatner deserves praise, not pans. He has worked hard to hone his comedic talents. They're on great display in MISS CONGENIALITY, and here again in SHOOT OR BE SHOT.
Give it a shot! (Sorry -- couldn't resist!)
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Liked the movie... loved the theme song!!!, May 20, 2004
Wierd... kind of surreal movie... a 3 in the morning vibe. A little dorky in spots. Very funky jazzy disco song for the theme... I dug it.
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